Related Experiment Videos
Healthcare professionals' representation toward optimal palliative care provision for COPD patients: a
Filipa Alexandra Baptista Peixoto Befecadu1, Paola Gasche2, Dan Adler3
1Research and Implementation Fellow, Research and Implementation Care Lab, Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva Bd de la Tour 8, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
Background:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition causing chronic physical symptoms, psychological burdens, as well as social consequences. This contributes to a major decrease in quality of life (QoL). Palliative care (PC) is a person-centered approach intended to relieve physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering. Despite international practice guidelines, patients with COPD have limited access to PC, mostly during end-of-life (EoL) care. It is therefore important to explore healthcare professionals' (HPs) point of view about PC to improve access for COPD patients to PC.
Objectives:
This study aimed to describe the perceptions of HPs working with COPD patients in Switzerland in different settings on PC provision, implementation, access, and organization. Additionally, we aimed to identify gaps, barriers, training needs, and solutions for HPs related to PC needs.
Design:
This is a cross-sectional survey study with quantitative and open-ended questions.
Methods:
We used an electronic survey sent to HPs working with patients suffering from COPD in the inpatient, outpatient, and home-based settings.
Results:
A total of 56 out of 98 participants (57%) answered the questionnaire of which 41.1% were nurses. 47.2% of participants were uncertain about the good timing of addressing COPD patients to PC and did it after several acute exacerbations, during EoL, or at the request of the patient. 45.5% did not know the availability of a local specialized PC. Lack of skills/training was identified as one of the hindering factors to discuss EoL (42.9% N = 56).
Conclusion:
Despite recognizing the importance of PC, several barriers were identified, including a lack of knowledge about when to initiate a PC and limited utilization of tools for identifying PC needs. Multidisciplinary teamwork and the identification of a nurse coordinator could improve earlier referrals to PC and improve QoL for COPD patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-V: Nursing Management
Assessment
01:29Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-V: Management
Smoking Cessation
01:25Continuing Care
01:26COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...